Zanzibar to improve service delivery

Zanzibar. The Zanzibar Government has expanded budget monitoring to include agriculture and the blue economy, aiming to improve resource allocation and service delivery.

This follows a review of budget performance in key sectors, highlighting progress in financial and physical targets for the 2022/2023 fiscal year.

This was revealed during the second Zanzibar High-Level Budget Monitoring Symposium themed, ‘Investing in Gender and Equity Budgeting to transform social outcomes and service delivery,’ which was held here yesterday.

The review focused on four ministries—Health, Water and Energy, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, and Education—with plans to monitor additional sectors in the 2024/2025 fiscal year.

Budget Commissioner Zena Mahmoud Hassan noted improvements in gender and equity planning, increased capacity for budget monitoring, and better resource prioritization.

She said these efforts align budgets with Zanzibar’s development plan and national priorities.

The review also highlighted progress in linking budgets with measurable outcomes. Ministries have adopted tools to ensure their spending follows Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) indicators.

A key development has been the introduction of gender and equity-sensitive budgeting, identifying specific activities and funding allocations to promote inclusivity.

This has led to a roadmap for gender-responsive fiscal planning. UNICEF Country Representative Elke Wisch emphasized the role of budgeting in delivering tangible results.

"For Zanzibar, this means ensuring that every resource allocation reflects an investment in the future—one where children, women, and vulnerable populations have equitable access to essential services," she said.